SMOAC Update

Below are a few of the highlights of the Santee Mobilehome Owners Action Committee (SMOAC) meeting on 10/6:

Mayor Randy Voepel spoke to the group about his experiences living in a mobilehome park, and his continued support for mobilehome owners. To date, the City of Santee has spent in excess of $2 million defending lawsuits targeting the City's mobilehome rent control ordinance. There have been 7 suits challenging the ordinance; 4 of these have been resolved. To date, the City has refused settlement negotiations and prevailed in each action, with 3 cases still pending.

It is vitally important that we all REFUSE TO SIGN the current "eminent domain" initiative petition being circulated by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Called the California Property Owners and Farmland Protection Act (CPOFPA), this petition is being promoted as a protection against eminent domain, but in reality it is designed to eliminate rent control - including Santee's Ordinance No. 412 which protects mobilehome owners. This bill has been sponsored by mobilehome park owners. Please urge everyone you know to NOT sign this petition.

Meadowbrook & MHC Litigation: MHC Legal battles are in limbo right now. The cases were assigned to Judge Sturgeon in the El Cajon courthouse, but he is serving in Riverside County through December, so the cases will continue when he returns. Meadowbrook has written a letter to Judge Sturgeon asking for explanation of his last 3 decisions. The City's case against MHC (Meadowbrook owner) is scheduled to go to trial on January 25. The Meadowbrook Homeowners’ case is scheduled to go to trial in February. The eventual outcome of these lawsuits will have dramatic effects on all Santee mobilehome owners.

The September 2007 newsletter of the Independent Citizens' Oversight Committee was presented.

SMOAC meets on the first Saturday of every month at 10 a.m. in the Canteen at Edgemoor. All Santee mobilehome residents are invited to attend. For more information, email smoac@juno.com or ggmhoa@gmail.com.